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Cavatina Xarann
| formerhomes = | sex = Female | race = Drow | ethnicity = | occupation =Darksong Knight | age = | patron deity = Eilistraee | languages = | reckoning = | dob = 1272 | dobnotes = (approximate) | turned = | turnednotes = | death = 1379 | deathnotes = (Beheaded by Halisstra Melarn ) | destroyed = | destroyednotes = | parents = Jetel Xarann | spouses = | siblings = | children = | familyrefs = | alignment1e = | class1e = | refs1e = | alignment2e = | class2e = | refs2e = | alignment3e = | challenge3e = | class3e = | refs3e = | alignment35 = Chaotic good | challenge35 = | class35 = | refs35 = }} Cavatina Xarann was a female drow Darksong Knight in service of Eilistraee in the mid–14 century DR. History Cavatina was a fourth-generation devotee of the Lady of the Dance, born on the surface. Her mother was a Sword Dancer, Jetel Xarann, also a priestess of Eilistraee. Cavatina became a Darksong Knight at The Promenade, where she was a proud and arrogant cleric of Eilistraeee. She was accompanying a novice on a routine patrol when she encountered a spellgaunt. Her blade, Demonbane, which had been handed down by Jetel, was destroyed in a battle with the spider. Cavatina also encountered a Selvetargtlin aranea. She was later ordered to go to Velarswood to investigate the appearance of Halisstra Melarn, and was gifted with a singing sword to replace Demonbane. Her search proved successful and Cavatina was led to the Demonweb Pits, where she recovered the Crescent Blade and slayed the god Selvetarm after a furious battle, aided by the Lady Penitent. She returned triumphant, only to discover that Eilistraee had killed Vhaeraun and had taken his portfolio along with his followers. Having to share her faith with the former Vhaeraunite clerics rankleed her, as she believed the Nightshadows to be nothing more than conniving assassins. She was later ordered by her superior, Qilué Veladorn, to lead an assault on the Acropolis of Thanatos, the main temple of Kiaransalee, when the Promenade and the wizards of Sshamath discovered that the Crones' plot was augmenting the faerzress and rendering the drow incapable of divination and conjuration magic, as well as keeping them Underdark-bound. Unable to accept the Nightshadows joining the ranks of Eilistraee's faithful, she constantly argued with the drow priest and the Dark Moon Kâras, a former Vhaeraunite cleric leading his fellows. However, she was trapped by Halisstra Melarn, who had been given by Lolth to Wendonai as a plaything, and brought to the Abyss to be Wendonai's victim instead. Deceived by Halisstra, Cavatina was tortured by Wendonai, being told of her Tainted lineage and that it was impossible for her to be redeemed. Yet, through faith and logic, Cavatina managed to find the illogical claims, freed herself, and slew the corporal body of the demon. She then returned to the Prime Material Plane, where she came to the Acropolis of Thanatos and where Halisstra was wreaking havoc. Naked, armed only with her holy symbol and her singing sword, she joined the battle, her pride tempered and her faith renewed. However, a powerful Crone mortally injured Cavatina only a moment later. She was revived by her fellow cleric, Kâras, and was then informed that the Spirit of the Crone had slaughtered all other the clerics of Eilistraee and that they were the last two remaining. Certain of their deaths, the Darksong Knight and the Dark Moon disguised themselves as Crones to go near the pit where the source of the faerzress augmentation—the Voidstone—was located, determined to make a last stand. As they were battling through the horde of Crones, Q'arlynd Melarn, armed with the knowledge of the Selu'kiira with the help of his apprentices, performed the ''Arselu'Tel'Quess'' that wiped Kiaransalee's name from every memory in existence, thereby killing the goddess. With the death of their patron deity, the Crones lost their powers, and thus Cavatina and Kâras turned the tide of the battle. She then proceeded to destroy the Voidstone with the help of the priestesses that had arrived as reinforcements. It was around this time that Qilué put her plan into motion, in which she would draw in all of Wendonai's Taint within her, then purge it with silver fire. Unaware of the details of the high priestess's plan but aware that something was wrong and the source of the wrongness, Cavatina tried to organize an exorcism for the high priestess. However, before she could organize enough clerics to perform the exorcism, The Promenade was attacked by Ghaunadaur's minions, and Cavatina was rendered insane in the battle. Turned ethereal and teleported to Skullport, she remained addled until Laeral Silverhand came to ask for the Darksong Knight's help to restore her sister, Qilué. Healed by Laeral's friends, who were clerics of Chauntea, she returned to the High Moor to do as Laeral had asked. She encountered Halisstra there yet again, and just as Wendonai's possession of the high priestess seemed complete, Eilistraee purged her disciple of the corruption and possessed the high priestess to offer redemption to the Lady Penitent. Joyous to be in her deity's presence, Cavatina forgot Halisstra's presence for a moment, which proved to be her demise; for the Lady Penitent took up the Crescent Blade and beheaded the Darksong Knight. Cavatina was last seen on the Fugue Plane, awaiting for her goddess to come retrieve her, unaware that Eilistraee had (apparently)Ed Greenwood suggests that Eilistraee actually managed to survive Halisstra's attempt to kill her, albeit much weakened. When Qilué Veladorn was killed, since the goddess was inhabiting her body, a great part of her power was dragged into the Weave with the Chosen's soul (the souls of Mystra's chosen often become "Voices in the Weave" after their death, as explained in the novel ''Spellstorm'', and their memories and experiences are shared by Mystra). After that, for about a century, Eilistraee could only manfest herself only as a floating black mask surrounded by moonlight, capable of silently communicating with mortals, but not of answering prayers or granting spells (except by direct touch). After Mystra and the Weave were completely restored in 1487 DR, the goddess of magic could finally give Eilistraee her own lost power been killed by Halisstra's hands. Instead, Lashrael and Felarathael, the solars in service of Corellon Larethian, came to retrieve her. She was informed that Halisstra had slain Qilué and Eilistraee, but that a few hundreds of the followers of the Dark Maiden (who, as lesser deity, had at least a few thousands of worshipers) and those drow who were not tainted by Wendonai's blood, ha been turned back back to their original dark elven form. Cavatina was among them, and was led to Arvandor, as the solars claimed that the transformed drow would be allowed back into the elven afterlife, even though Eilistraee's realm, which continued existing, already was in Arvandor, and so were the souls of her followers within it. When Eilistraee managed to return to life during the Second Sundering, , in Flamerule 1489 DR, the planes had rearranged under the Great Wheel cosmology once again, but it was unknown whether Eilistraee's realm, where the souls of all her followers resided, remained in Arvandor, or moved back to its old location in Ysgard. Description Cavatina was noted to be tall, thin, and toned. She had black skin, as was the norm for the drow, with long, ivory hair. Possessions After the loss of her mother's sword, Demonbane, she wielded a singing sword given to her by Qilué. She was also equipped with an iron flask and a magical hunting horn. She usually wore a breastplate embossed with Eilistraee's symbol that was dented from her battle with Selvetarm and possessed the holy symbol of Eilistraee in a chain around her neck. Appendix Notes References Appearances * * * Category:Clerics Category:Fighters Category:Females Category:Drow Category:Worshipers of Eilistraee Category:Members of the Darksong Knights Category:Inhabitants of chaotic good alignment Category:Inhabitants of the Promenade of the Dark Maiden Category:Inhabitants of Undermountain Category:Inhabitants of the Underdark Category:Inhabitants of Faerûn Category:Inhabitants of Toril Category:Inhabitants Category:Inhabitants of Waterdeep Category:Inhabitants of the Sword Coast North Category:Inhabitants of Northwest Faerûn Category:Inhabitants of Arvandor